There are so many reflections I have on T4G, I really don’t know where to begin. So, in no order of importance, here are some reflections/info:

• I really enjoyed things better having Elders from my church with me. When I attended 2 years ago, I went by myself and hung out with friends, which was very cool, but frustrating in driving home application. Time spent with the Elders made this conference all the more sweeter.
• Session 1 from Lig reminded me of the importance of systematic theology and the central role it must play in my life and in my church
• Session 2 from Thabiti pointed our leadership to the racial issue that exists and how we need to be wiser in pointing our people to love others.
• Session 3 was vintage MacArthur with clear teaching on depravity.
• Session 4 enouraged me to strive for clarity with the Gospel (preached by Dever).
• Session 5 was one of the best sermons I’ve heard from R.C., pointing us to the OT idea of curse and how Christ became a curse for us.
• Session 6 from Mohler said, “The Gospel has been under attack and will continue to be, so be vigilant.”
• Session 7 from Piper exhorted us to live the Christian life in a radical way and thus shine and salt the earth (by embracing suffering).
• Session 8 from C.J. prepped us for the return home by pointing us to applications in fighting for joy in ministry.
• It was great to see so many old friends, too. Friends I haven’t seen since seminary, brothers who were a part of my wedding and fellow “marching partners in the campaign to advance the Gospel.”
• I am so grateful to Crestview for allowing me to have the privilege of attending.
• I am so honored that my wife (who is roughly 7 1/2 months pregnant) would joyfully serve our family and take care of Andrew and encourage me all week. Thank you love for allowing me to have a great week, you continue to express grace to me.
• I am thankful for the Elders here to correct, exhort, rebuke and encourage when needed.
• I am thankful to God, ultimately, for calling me to minister for His glory. Lord, I don’t deserve this expression of mercy. Help me honor You all my days.
• Almost forgot (which is amazing with my bibliophilic tendencies) to mention the books we got: new books from Packer, Carson, Kauflin; an ESV; books on the atonement, biography from Thabiti, summary of T4G 06, Exploring Christianity, Dever’s book on evangelism, Mohler’s latest, Sproul’s book on the atmonement, updated Gospel According to Jesus from MacArthur, Piper on Justification, a book commenting on the Emergent church and David Wells latest. Whew, what incredible offerings. I also bought some books, so have a bag just of books. What a kind God we have.

Besides all this, though, I really am anxious to return to Hutchinson and to the church I love. We have an exciting Lord’s Day ahead of us, basking in the glory of Christ’s work for us on the cross. That is where I long to be.

Well, the Elders and I have made it to Corydon, IN (home, incidentally, of the only Civil War Battlefield in Indiana). We are about 25 minutes out of Louisville. We left at 7AM today and drove all day. After the change to Eastern time, we got in here at 7PM. So it was a full day of sitting and we are happy to be out of the car. Together for the Gospel registration starts tomorrow morning at 10AM. We plan to get over there around Noon, register, browse the bookstore, and then plunge right in. We are grateful that God has provided us safety today. Furthermore, we had some great discussion on the road. Often, we are hurried and unable to discuss items deeply. We were able to do that today. What a blessing.

At any rate, we are ready for things to get rolling. Pray for us. We want this time to be especially profitable for the Gospel.

Freddy T asks if we are sissys? Here’s the test…

Todd Pruitt posts a helpful summary from Paul Tripp’s recent conference at his church on marriage. Most notably, he demonstrates how marriage, this side of heaven, is always a war between two kingdoms. Here’s a snipet of how he describes this:

Each of us are busily building, advancing, and defending a kingdom. The problem is that I am born with a sinful bent to build, advance, and defend my own kingdom; a kingdom unto myself. My wife, because she is a sinner like me, was born with this same bent. Obviously, when two people who are each trying to rule their own kingdom marry, conflicts will occur.

Check out this post, it is a helpful reminder of how our seeking our own agenda can affect our marriages.

John MacArthur writes on how parents provoke children to wrath. The ones he includes are: overprotection, favortism, pressing them toward unreasonable achievement, discouragement, parent’s failure to sacrifice for kids, not letting them grow up at a normal pace, using love as a tool for reward or punishment and, finally, abuse. God, keep us from these things.

In a day when the church is marred by divisions and competiting allegiances, this article pointing to Unity In the Cross by Josh Harris was refreshing. I especially thought the third point was convicting citing how unity takes consistent effort. We can begin, as Josh urges, by distrusting our “dislikes”, distrusting our “favorites”, and rooting out bitterness and apathy in our relationships. This is always a timely word for the church.

In thinking about heading to Together for the Gospel next week, I thought I would point you to the free audio available from the 2006 conference from the Sovereign Grace website. Check it out.

Audio for Main Sessions from T4G ’06
Audio for Panel Discussions from T4G ’06

This coming Sunday, Lord willing, I will continue my sermon on the rich man and Jesus’ indictment of wealth. In commenting on how difficult it is for a rich man to get to heaven, Jesus tells us that is easier for a camel (the largest animal someone in Palestine would be aware of) to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25).

C.S. Lewis wrote a witty poem about this. (Found in his book, Poems.)

All things (e.g. a camel’s journey through
a needle’s eye) are possible, it’s true;
But picture how the camel feels, squeezed out
in one long bloody thread from tail to snout.

As we continue our series of Mondays looking at conflict and especially noting the helpful resources at Peacemaker Ministries, today we look at the 7 A’s of Confession. Here’s what they say:

As God opens your eyes to see how you have sinned against others, he simultaneously offers you a way to find freedom from your past wrongs. It is called confession. Many people have never experienced this freedom because they have never learned how to confess their wrongs honestly and unconditionally. Instead, they use words like these: “I’m sorry if I hurt you.” “Let’s just forget the past.” “I suppose I could have done a better job.” “I guess it’s not all your fault.” These token statements rarely trigger genuine forgiveness and reconciliation. If you really want to make peace, ask God to help you breathe grace by humbly and thoroughly admitting your wrongs. One way to do this is to use the Seven A’s.

Address everyone involved (All those whom you affected)
Avoid if, but, and maybe (Do not try to excuse your wrongs)
Admit specifically (Both attitudes and actions)
Acknowledge the hurt (Express sorrow for hurting someone)
Accept the consequences (Such as making restitution)
Alter your behavior (Change your attitudes and actions)
Ask for forgiveness
See Matthew 7:3-5; 1 John 1:8-9; Proverbs 28:13.

This was a hard lesson for me to learn early on in marriage. Meg and I hated having conflict between us. We would want to end it as soon as possible. This, often, led to shallow and weak confession that effectively provide the reconciliation we needed. These principles are so helpful in that regard. I’ve gotten away from saying, “It’s no big deal,” when she’s confessing something to me to saying, “I forgive you.” Likewise, when I am confessing a way I’ve generally wronged her, I try to specifically follow these principles. This means avoiding generalities like “If I’ve done something that bothers you, I’m sorry.” My confession needs specificness: “I had a prideful heart, which jumped to a conclusion rather than listening to you. I know this brought disagreement between us. I know I need to change my actions. Will you forgive me.” When we function this way, our communication is not only strengthened, but the bond of love and grace that we demonstrate towards one another is kindled and encouraged. Practice good confession when you have wronged someone.

Isn’t it often the case that we don’t suspect ourselves. We think everyone else is the world is the problem. In my Wed PM class, we are reading through D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones excellent work, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. In the chapter on denying self and following Christ, he writes:

Whenever I notice in myself a reaction of self-defence, or a sense of annoyance or a grievance, or a feeling that I have been hurt and wronged and am suffering an injustice — the moment I feel this defensive mechanism coming into play, I must just quietly face myself and ask the following questions.
“Why exactly does this thing upset me?”
“Why am I grieved by it?”
“What is my real concern at this point?”
“Am I really concerned for some general principle of justice and righteousness?”
“Am I really moved and distubed because I have some true cause at heart?”
“Or, let me face it honestly, is it just myself?”
“Is it just this horrible, foul, self-centeredness and self-concern, this morbid condition into which I have got?”
“Is it nothing but an unhealthy and unpleasant pride?”

Such self-examination is essential if we are to conquer in this matter.

This was so enlightening to me. I am usually the root behind the problem. My reaction happens because I have an issue I am dealing with. Yes, it usually is just myself (if I was honest). It is just my horrible, foul, self-centeredness and self-concern. It is a morbid condition into which I have gotten. I plead with you to follow the Doctor’s counsel here and put the probe of self-examination upon your life. See if the light of the Gospel doesn’t reveal the sins of self.